The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1887-12-21
BLAINE ON THE MESSAGE
The Maine Statesman Sweeping
in His Oppocition to the
Presidents Manifesto.
BE Thinks It Extraordinary, but Fa-
vors Repeal of the Taxation
on Tobacco.
FOrtiflcations He Believes Necessary,
and Would Spend Money
on Them.

terNleW Win the hon. james VI. Dihlue ou
President Cleveland's message. 1t was
taken in short hand under the direction OF
Athe 1ri6une's Paris correspondent and sent
by cable. Ii is as follows:
Il have boon reading an abstract OF the Presi-
dents message, and have been especially in
terestod ia the comments OF tho London pa
pers. Those papers all assume To declare the
message as a free-trade manifesto. and evil
IDENTITY are anticipating an enlarged market Tor
English fabrics in the United States IA conse-
quence of the Presidents recommendations.
Perhaps that fact stamped the character OF the
message moro clearly than any words OF mine
can"
-You don't mean actual free trade without
duty?" quorcd the reporter.
NO" replied Mr.. Blaine, nor dc the London
papers mean that They simply mean that the
President las recommended what in the United
States is known us revenue tariff, rejecting
the protective feature as an object and not
even permitting protection to result freely as
an incident To revenue duties.
i don know that l comprehend that last
point" said the reporter.
Il mean, said Mr.. Blaine. that for the first
timo in the history OF the United States the
President recommends retaining the internal
tax in order that the tariff may be forced down
even below the fair revenue standard. He rec
Ommends that the tax on tobacco be retained,
and thus that many millions annually shall be
levied on a domestic product which would FAR
better como from tariff on foreign fabrics"
, Then do You mean 10 imply that you would
favor the repeal OF the tobacco taxi"
THE TOBACCO TAX.
"Certainly-I mean just that" said Mr..
Blaine 81 should urge that it be done at once.
even before the Christmas holidays. 1t would
in the first place bring great relief to growers
of tobacco all over the country and would.
moreover materially lessen the price OF the
article to consumers. Tobacco TO millions OF
men, is a necessity. The President calls ii
luxury, but IL is II luxury in no other sense than
tea and coffee are Injuries 1t is well TO re-
member that the luxury of yesterday becomes
necessity OF to-day. Watch IL you please,
the number of men at work on the farm in the
nal min NIL IA mi a III
ries, or in any calling, and you will find ninety
five to ono hundred chewing while they work.
! After oach meal tho sam, proportion seek the
solace or pipe or cigar. These men not
only pay tho millions Of tho tobacco tax, but
pay on evory plug and every cigar an enhanced
price viii h the lax enables the manufactures
and retailer to impose. The only excuse for
such tax Is tho actual necessity under which
the Government found itself during the war and
the years Immediately following. 10 retain the
tax now, in order to destroy the protection
which would incidentally flow from raising the
same amount of money on foreign imports, ia
certainly most extraordinary policy for our
Government"
THE WHISKY TAX.
well, thon, Mr. Blaine, would you advise the
repeal of the whisky tax also?'
mo, would not Other considerations than
those OF financial administration are TO be taken
into account with regard to whisky. There is a
moral side to it. To cheaper tho price of
whisky is to increase the consumption enor-
mously. There would be sense in urging
the reform wrought by high license in many
the good effect by making whisky within reach
of every ono ut 20 cents gallon. Whisky
would be everywhere distilled if the surveillance
of the Government were withdrawn by the remis-
sion of the tax. and illicit sales could not then
be prevented even by policy as rigorous and
searching us that with which Russia pursues
the nihilsts. II would DESTROY high license at
once in all the States. Whisky has done a vast
deal of hurt in the United States would try
to make it do some good. would use the tax
to fortify our cities on tho seaboard. In view
of the powerful letter addressed TO the Demo-
cratic party on the sub ect Of Notifications by
the late Samuel j. Tiden in 1885, am amazed
that no attention has boon paid to the subject
by the Democratic administration. Never be-
fore in the history OF tho world has any govern
mt allowed great cities on the seaboard, like
Philadelphia New York, Boston, Baltimore,
New Orleans, and San Francisco, to remain de-
fenseless'
But. said the reporter, you don't think we
are to have war in any directions"
Certainly not, said Mr.. Blaine; neither, /
suppose, did Mr., Tilden when he wrote his re-
markable letter. But we should change a re-
mote chance into an absolute tmpossibilty. II
our weak and exposed points were strongly for
titled IL today we had by any chance oven
such a war as we had with Mexico, our enemy
could procure ironcads in Europe that would
menace our great cities with destruction or lay
them under contribution"
But would not our fortifying now possibly
look If we expected war;"
"Why should it. any more than the fortifca-
tions made seventy or eighty years ago by our
grandfathers when they guarded themselves
of that day. We don't necessarily expect a
burglar because we lock our doors at night, but
if by any possibility burglar comes. it con-
tributes vastly to our peace of mind and our
sound sleep to feel that he can't get in"
But, after the Notifications should be con-
structed, would you still maintain the tax on
whisky?"
~Yes," said Mr. Blaine, $50 long ms there is
whisky to tax would tax IL, and when the Ma
tional Government should have no use for the
money would divide the tax among the Fed
eral Union with the specific object OF tighten
ing the tax real estate. Tho houses and
farms OF tho whole country pay too largo pro:
portion of thu total taxes. IL ultimately relief
could be given in that direction it would. in my
judgment, be- n wise and beneficial policy
Some honest but misguided friends of tenn
perance have urged that the Government
should not use the money derived from the tax
on whisky. NV reply is that the tax on whisky
by the Federal Government, with its suppress
sion OF all Illicit distillation and consequent
enhancement OF price. has been a powerful
agent in the temperance reform by putting it
whisky consumed in the United States per
capita to-day is not moro than 20 per cent of
that consumed thirty years ago.
After few moments silence Mr. Blaine
added that in his judgment the whisky tax
should be so modified as to permit those who
use pure alcohol in tho arts or in mechanical
pursuits to have il free of tax. In all such
cases the tax could be omitted without danger
of fraud, Just as now the tax on spirits OK.
ported is rcmitted.
Besides your general and sweeping opposi-
tion to the Presidents recommendation. have
you any further specific objection?"
THE DUTY ON WOOL
"Yes," answered Mr. Blaine, II should ser-
ously object to the repeal of the duty WOOL
To repeal that would work great injustice to
many interests, and would seriously discourage
what we should earnestly ENCOURAGE, namely
the sheep culture among farmers throughout
the Union. To break down wool-growing and
be dependent on foreign countries for the
blanket under which we sleep and tho coat that
covers our backs is not a wise policy for the
National Government to enforce"
do you think IL the Presidents recommen-
dalton were adopted, it would increase our ex-
port trader"
Possibly; in some few articles OF peculiar
construction Il might, but IL would only increase
our import trade tenfold as much In the great
staple fabrics, in wooden and cotton goods, in
iron, in steel, in all tho thousand and one
shapes in which they are wrought. How are
we TO export staple fabres to the markets Of
Europe unless we mako them cheaper than
they do in Europe. and how are We 70 manu-
lecture them cheaper than they do in Europe.
unless we get cheaper labor than they have in
Europe"
Then you think that the question OF labor
underlies the whole subject?'
-Of course it docs, replied Mr.. Blaine. ~ Is,
I'm fact. the entire question. Whenever we can
force carpenters, masons, iron-workers, and
mechanics in every department To work as
cheaply and live as poorly in the United States
IA similar workmen In Europe we can, OF
course, manufacture just as cheaply rs they
do in England and Franco. But am totally
opposed TO policy that would entail such re-
suits. To attempt IL ia equivalent to a social
and financial revolution, one that would bring
sVa. hnt ,,;cht MT the oroat farming class